Felipe Nasr is in his debut season racing in F1 for Sauber. He will write exclusively for F1i.com after each round of the 2015 season to provide insight in to the life of an F1 driver.
Humming in the rain!
Where to start? You have probably seen it all; the rain, the race, the battles and the results. It was an extremely tricky weekend in Austin for all involved thanks to the weather. I from my part learned a lot and know that it was a lesson for many, as it is in races like this that we get a better understanding of what needs to be improved upon.
For me, as someone who did not know the circuit and had very limited track time, it was important in many aspects and character building in the end. We had enough to get us humming when the rain stopped and the car set up more to the dry side for the race. That, plus the touch of luck, could help us to two more very hard-fought points.
Thirsty for points to commemorate 400GPs
Scoring points is a result that Sauber can proudly account for in its 400th appearance, and I am happy and honoured to be part of it with this small contribution. You can feel how much the whole team is working hard to give us a car that can serve us well in the coming races and add positively to the whole story. We all know what needs to be done and are excited about the potential we have.
Fifth time lucky
Just like the fingers on our hands my five pit stops were all different, for different reasons and served different purposes. From the first one when I had to change the front wing (I already spoke to Marcus [Ericsson] and we clarified the misunderstanding that led to our encounter) to the last one when I finally could get those points.
We went through a whole lot during the race as I suffered from graining on the front tyres and then a broken sensor that fell inside the wheel and provoked an enormous vibration. Added to the lost lap and the overtaking of some stubborn drivers, it was a hugely eventful race. On the other hand it was proof of the guys’ disposition to always send me very swiftly back on track in better shape than I entered the pits. Thank to each and every one of you.
Soaking in the fantastic atmosphere
The weather called the strategy during the whole weekend for all of us and here I need to save a special word for all the fans that were at the track. It was raining on their parade for two and a half days and they never gave up. They kept their and our spirits high enjoying every moment of it from Friday to Sunday. It was a spectacle worth the wait and I was glad to be a part of it.
Anyway, no time to dwell on the weekend just gone as just ahead of us this coming weekend is the Mexican Grand Prix. A new track for everybody means a place that brings renewed hope, provided we have enough time to dry off!
And I will let you know all about it right here on F1i next week.
Felipe
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